A blog to discuss my many wargaming projects.
How many, you ask?
Too many.
And I'm adding more
all the time.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

GW 28mm Lothern Skycutter to 10mm Elven Airboat Conversion

This week I completed a conversion project that I've been working on slowly over the past couple months, that involved converting a 28mm Games Workshop Warhammer "Lothern Skycutter" into a 10mm Elven Airboat. I had purchased this model for a very reasonable price from a friend's flea market table at the BARRAGE gaming convention, with an eye to using the boat portion of the kit for my 10mm Elf fantasy army.

The kit's box

I began by assembling the boat, and making a few modifications. First, I trimmed and re-positioned the rudder handle, so it would sit low enough for a 10mm figure to use it. Secondly, I took an old Games Workshop Warmaster Elf Repeating Bolt Thrower and cut it down so it would mount on the prow of the boat. I gave a friend the large bird that was part of the Skycutter kit .

The assembled model.

Instead of using the typical GW base that came with the kit, I glued the airboat's flight-stand to a 3"x 1.5" base suitable for use with the "Bear Yourselves Valiantly" mass-combat Fantasy rules. I then went through my box of spare figures and selected some individually based 10mm Elves I had to use as a crew.

The finished airboat.

I spray primed the boat and crew with flat black primer (I wish I had used white!) and painted the boat in a dark blue, white, and yellow scheme, and the crew in a light blue and white uniform.

The airboat shown flying over some 10mm Elven troops.

I painted the crew and boat separately; and after painting was complete, I glued the crew in the boat. I added some scraps of lead, cut from a figure's base long ago, to the base of the boat to add stability, and blended them into the base with a little putty so they would resemble little hills. Afterwards I flocked the base.

A close-up of the crew.

I'm pleased with how this project came out. It will add some powerful air support to my Elven forces.

About Me

I've been a gamer since my high school days in the 70's. I'm married to Jennifer, and reside in Maryland. I am co-author, along with Buck Surdu, of "GASLIGHT" and several of its supplements, and "Look, Sarge, No Charts: WWII", and "LSNC: ACW". I also wrote the "Thunder & Plunder"; half of our Pirate rules, "Blood & Swash"
I am a founding member of the HAWKs wargames club.